Swimmer Itching For Information

OLD SAYBROOK — Call it what you may: swimmer's, bather's or clam digger's itch.

Shoreline swimmers and waders who have lived here awhile recognize the nasty, parasitical skin infection. But what about those who cannot?

Town resident Bill Brighenti had the itch but did not know what it was. Only after a dozen phone calls and a lot of worrying, did he learn what schistosome dermatitis was and that it was nothing serious.

``I woke up scratching,'' Brighenti said. ``I thought there were mosquitoes in the bed. I'm not exaggerating. I told people I don't know why I'm scratching, and they said `Well, you've contracted this worm.' ''

Brighenti said he called the town health department, the state Department of Environmental Protection and a group representing the Long Island Sound, but nobody could tell him what was on his skin.

``You get these large swellings,'' Brighenti said. ``It's like a bad case of poison ivy. I had it from my feet up to the middle of my torso.''

Last year, town officials posted information at beaches about the skin infection, resulting when the schistosome larvae of waterfowl, such as seagulls, penetrate the skin of people. It is contracted when a person swims or wades in water infested with the parasite and the water is allowed to dry on the skin instead of being dried off with a towel. A mild itching occurs within one to two hours and a rash about 10 hours later. The rash peaks in three to four days and usually disappears within a week, health officials say.

Information signs were not posted this year at town beaches. Pamphlets were tacked to the town hall bulletin board and left on a town hall table at the beginning of the season.

Not wanting to go to the doctor and be stuck with a medical bill, Brighenti said he continued to make phone calls hoping that someone would tell him what to do. Collecting the information was slow going, and without all the facts in yet, Brighenti said it was hard not to start freaking out.

The town's environmental health officer, Don Lucas, said department secretaries keep information about clam digger's itch in their files and often give it out to residents. Brighenti said he was unable to contact Lucas directly, and he was advised by town hall personnel to see a doctor. Next year, Lucas said, the town will consider posting information at beaches once again.